Somalia: At least 37 killed in Shebab attack in Mogadishu

At least 37 people were killed and many more injured after militants opened fire on a busy beach in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Friday night following a suicide attack by the radical Islamist group Shebab, according to a new report released by authorities on Saturday.

The group, which has links to al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack, one of the deadliest in Somalia in recent months, in a message posted on the website of the Pro-Lamb group.

“The total death toll stands at 37,” Health Minister Ali Haji Adam said in a statement late Saturday. An earlier report had reported 32 deaths. He said 11 people were in intensive care, 64 were hospitalized with injuries and 137 had minor injuries and had been discharged after treatment.

A suicide bomber blew himself up on Friday night at Lido Beach, a beach frequented by businessmen and civil servants, before opening fire on the beach, according to police and witnesses. The upscale neighborhood, with its chic hotels and restaurants, has been a target of attacks in the past.

“Kill everyone you can kill”

Survivors said people opened fire on the beach after the suicide bomber blew up, trying to “kill everyone they could.”

“The ruthless terrorists are killing civilians at will,” police officer Mohamed Omar told AFP on Saturday, adding that Somali security forces killed five Shebab members. The attackers were designated “Kharijites,” a term used by Somali authorities to refer to members of the group.

Hawo Mohammed, who lives near the attack site, reported that at least seven of his acquaintances were killed in the attack. “The scene was scattered with blood and human remains,” he told AFP.

According to local media reports, hospitals have appealed for blood donations to treat the many injured.

Mahad Abdiaziz Ibrahim, who was met among the volunteers, told AFP he came because it was “the best thing” he could do. “I am donating my blood to help those who are in desperate need,” he said.

emergency meeting

Witness Ahmed Yare said the attack began at a hotel. “I saw injured people near the beach, people were screaming in panic, it was hard to know who was dead and who was not,” he told AFP.

Other witnesses confirmed that many people were visiting the beach when the explosion occurred. “Everyone was in a panic and it was difficult to know what was going on because the shooting started soon after the explosion,” witness Abdilatif Ali told AFP.

President Hassan Cheikh Mohamoud said on X that he would hold an urgent meeting with the prime minister and “senior security officials” to correct the situation.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre called the attack a “barbaric act that fundamentally goes against our religious and cultural values.”

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, described the attack on X as “horrific” and “callous”. The United Nations in Somalia condemned a “despicable” attack.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “condemned” the attack in a statement on Saturday, saying he was “sad that Somalis continue to fall victim to such heinous acts of terrorism” and reiterating the UN’s support for the government.

“Total War”

In mid-July, a car bomb exploded in front of a crowded cafe during the broadcast of the Euro 2024 final in Mogadishu, killing nine people and injuring 20, according to a security report.

Shibab has carried out numerous bombings and other attacks in the past in Mogadishu and several areas of the unstable Horn of Africa country. Although the insurgents were driven out of the capital by African Union troops in 2011, they still have a presence in rural areas.

Somalia’s president has pledged an “all-out” war against the jihadists. The army, backed by African Union forces and US strikes, has joined forces with local clan militias to launch a military operation. However, the offensive has suffered setbacks.

AFP

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